Machine for operating upon soles



Aug. 30, 1938. A. PORTER MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed Jan. 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 30, 1938. v A. 1.. PORTER v MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed Jan. 25, 1956 Aug. 30, 1938. v PORTER 2,128,318

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed Jan. 25, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 30, 1938. A. PORTER MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed Jan. ,25, 1956 4 Shets-Sheet 4 him/717R ME 9% Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UETED STATES PATENT OFFEEE Albert L. Porter, Salem,

Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 25, 1936, Serial No. 60,828

35 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon soles and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in'Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,939,750 and No. 2,020,344, granted December 19, 1933, and November 12, 1935, respectively, uponapplications of E. E. Winkley.

In machines of the type mentioned above, the positioning of soles consistently in the desired location with respect to shaping instrumentalities for imparting the desired longitudinal or transverse curvatures, or both, to a sole is facilitated by the use of mechanism including gaging members adapted to position the sole by engagement with its edge at one end and at spaced points at one side of the sole. Such gaging mechanism is so constructed and arranged that by the successive positioning of a single control member in different locations the gaging members are simultaneously set to position properly a series of sol-es within a certain range of lengths the width grading of which is uniform.

However, soles may be so graded in other instances, such for example as between the A and multiple A widths or between the E and multiple E widths of soles of the same nominal length, that the actual lengths of the soles may not vary at all, or at last not in the same proportion relatively to changes in width as in the case of soles of the same nominal length but of those widths between A and E. Moreover, lasts of difierent nominal widths may have the same actual width across the bottom of the forepart, the difference between them, owing to the width grading, occurring in their girth. Accordingly, it is apparent that different sections of a complete run of soles to be used in connection with such lasts may be graded by different systems.

In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide an improved gaging mechanism, adapted for use in a machine for operating upon soles graded by different systems, which will permit the setting of the gages with reference to one system of grading without disturbing the setting of the gages with regard to another system of grading.

To this end, the invention contemplates the provision of means for positioning a sole with respect to a form about which the sole is to be shaped which includes a gage adjustable laterally of the form and adapted to engage the edge of the sole at one side thereof, said gage being movable obliquely with respect to the longitudinal aXis of the sole at an angle determined with reference to the proportion between the differences in length and width of soles graded by one system (such as that employed in grading soles of the same nominal widths but of different lengths), and plural means for adjusting the gage laterally of the form, one of which means is calibrated with reference to another system of grading. As herein illustrated, the last-mentioned means, in accordance with another feature of the invention, is adapted to be operated independently of the first-mentioned means and is calibrated with reference to the width grading of soles of the same or substantially the same length.

The relation between the ball line and the forepart of a sole is more critical, for purposes of gaging, than that between the ball line and the heel part, and hence it is preferable to position soles longitudinally in machines of the type in question by engagement with the toe end of the sole. In order to obviate any interference by gaging means which is thus adapted to engage the toe end of the sole to the relative approach of members between which the forepart of the sole is clamped, one or both of the members may be recessed to provide clearance for the gaging means. Such recessing of these members results in the removal of what otherwise would be their sole-shaping surfaces and hence the impairment of their sole-shaping function to that extent to which their surfaces have thus been cut away. With this problem in view, another object of the invention is to provide improved means for gaging or positioning a. sole between clamping members adapted to operate over the entire area of the forepart of the sole, which means wil1 not prevent the members from being moved into their operative relation.

In accordance with this object, the invention provides, in combination with a form mounted for movement between a sole-receiving position and a treating position and a clamping member mounted for movement toward the form, an end gage mounted and arranged normally to be yieldingly held in operative relation to the form and means constructed and arranged to operate in response to movement of said form toward its treating position to move the end gage away from the form out of the path of the clamping member.

It has been found that sol-es of a relatively wide range of sizes may successfully have their shank portions formed by being pressed about a certain form in a machine of the type in which the invention is illustrated as embodied, essential requirements being that the soles be positioned properly with regard to the portion of the form which is to form the break of the soles between their forepart and shank portions and that the soles be thus held throughout the shaping operation. However, it may be difiicult, without applying excessive clamping pressure to the fore and heel parts of soles having relatively wide shanks, securely to hold the fore and heel parts against the stresses set up in the margins of the shank when the latter are displaced to give the shank its required transverse shape. This difficulty is most pronounced when operating upon soles for mens shoes as there is considerable material in the shanks or" such soles; but it also may arise when operating upon soles for womens shoes the size or the style of which requires a relatively broad shank. Moreover, when soles of relatively small sizes are operated upon, the amount of their fore and heel parts which are presented to the forming and grip-ping surfaces of fore and heel part clamping members may be too small at times to insure adequate frictional resistance against slipping when the shank is operated upon. In view of the foregoing, another object of the invention is to make provision for insuring against slipping of soles with respect to a form about which their shanks are shaped.

In accordance with this object, invention is to be recognized in the provision, in a machine for operating upon soles, of pressing members mounted for movement toward and away from each other and a yielding member disposed between the pressing members, the pressing surface of one pressing member having a plurality of separated elevated areas which cause portions of the sole opposite thereto to be pressed into the yielding member in response to pressure between the pressing members. In the illustrated machine, the forepart of the form about which the shank of a sole is formed is employed as one pressing member and, in accordance with another feature of the invention, is provided with a plurality of blunt projections extending from its sole-engaging surface to form the elevated areas referred to above.

It is not uncommon as a decorative feature to finish different portions of shoe bottoms in contrast to each other. Such a finish may be accomplished by painting or staining one characteristic portion of a shoe bottom and finishing the remainder of the bottom in its natural color, as results for example from the use of Wax only. In other cases, it may be desirable to paint or to stain the entire bottom of the shoe but yet to finish different characteristic portions of it by the use of different colored stains or paints or by staining one portion and painting others. As bottom finishing of this type is carried out by hand, its effectiveness, which depends to a considerable extent. upon the operators judgment in determining the boundary between the portions of the shoe bottom which are to be finished in different ways, may vary materially.

In view of the foregoing, it is another object of the invention to facilitate the finishing of shoe bottoms in the manner described above by enabling the operator to apply finishing medium to shoe bottoms in less time and with greater accuracy and uniformity than has been possible heretofore. To this end, the invention contemplates, in accordance with another feature thereof, the combination of a sole support about which a sole is to be formed into the shape it is to have in the finished shoe and means shaped and arranged to press a, sole against said support and simultaneously to make a demarcationon the sole between characteristic portions thereof. This demarcation on the sole indicates a definite boundary between such portions of the sole as are to be finished in different ways and is used as a giude by the operator in applying finishing medium to the sole. He is thus relieved of the duty of determining the location and shape of the portions of the sole to be differently finished, with the result that he may carry out the finishing operation rapidly, accurately and uniformly.

Depending upon how the shoe bottom is to be decorated, this demarcation may be made either between the forepart and shank or between a characteristic portion of the shank and the remainder of the sole.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a part of a machine in which the invention is illustrated as embodied;

Hg. 2 is a plan view illustrating the lower so1e-treating members in their operative positions and the gaging instrumentalities for psi tioning' soles with respect thereto;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the forepart sole-gaging instrumentalities as viewed from the rear of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3, certain parts of which have been removed;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view in end elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3, the location of the section line being indicated by the line VV in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the forepart gagin means as viewed from right to left in Fig. 2, the drawing in full lines indicating the position of the sole on a form in the sole-receiving position and the drawing in dotted lines indicating the inoperative positions of the gaging means and the treating of a sole;

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation, the position of the section line being indicated by the line VII-VII in Fig. 4, illustrating the gaging of a sole longitudinally of the form when in its solereceiving position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating a stage in the retractive movement of the gaging means illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a view in end elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the control knob for setting the gaging means;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view in elevation illustrating the calibration of one of the gaging means;

Fig. 12 is a view in perspective of the soleengaging surface of an improved conforming tool embodying means for making a demarcation; and

Fig. 13 is a view in perspective illustrating a conformed sole having demarcations between its characteristic portions made by the use of the tool illustrated in Fig. 12.

In the illustrated machine, which has a righthand set of operating instrumentalities similar to the left-hand set shown in Fig. 1, the soletreating members which assist in imparting the longitudinal and transverse curvatures to a sole comprise a form Ill (Fig. 2) mounted on a table l2 and a heel part support 14 mounted on a table IS. The invention is exemplified herein with reference to the shaping of a sole for a womans shoe having a relatively high heel and the illustrated form H] has an integral shank portion I? having substantially the longitudinal and transverse curvatures which it is desired to impart to a finished sole. A sole having been positioned, by mechanism to be described later and forming an important part of this invention, on the form l0 and heel part support Hi When in their sole-receiving position, indicated by the full-line showing of the form II] in Fig. 6, the tables l2 and I6 are then swung to carry the form l0 and the heel part support Hi to an upright sole-treating position, indicated by the dotted outline of the form ID in Fig. 6. The fore and heel parts of the sole are clamped against the form If! and the support I4 when in the last-mentioned position by fore and heel part clamps l8 and 20 (Fig. 1) respectively, which are moved downwardly to cause a sheet 22 of relatively thin rubber, the ends of which are attached to the opposite ends of the clamps l8 and 20, to exert a yielding pressure against the fore and heel parts of the sole.

The heel part clamp 20 and the support l4 may then be bodily dropped relatively to the form In to an extent depending upon the relative heights of the heel part of the sole with respect to the forepart to produce the desired angular relation between the shank and the forepart. As fully described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,939,750, this treatment of the sole may be effected either with or without stretching the shank portion of the sole bodily, depending upon the adjustment of a link 24 (Fig. 1) which holds the fore and heel part clamps l8 and 22, respectively, a predetermined distance apart. The link 24 is ilustrated herein as being positioned so as to cause no over-all stretching of the sole as its heel part is dropped, this result being accomplished by the links causing the forepart clamp i8 to move toward the right (Fig. 1) as the heel part of the sole is dropped. To permit similar movement of the table 12, it is mounted at its forward end to slide longitudinally of the machine on a rod 26 which is fixed to a support 28 and is operated by a lever 29 to swing the table i2 in the manner described above. Two gage positioning levers 30, one of which is mounted in the support 28, are positioned by V-shaped guides 32 when the form l and support 14 are swung into sole-receiving position to set the gaging mechanism, as will be described later.

The sole is next shaped about the form It by the downward movement of a conforming tool 34 (Figs. 1 and 12) the operative surface of which is substantially complementary to the shank portion I! of the form and the part of the forepart portion of the form contiguous to the shank por tion. Reference may be made to the abovementioned Letters Patent for a more.complete description of the mounting of and the mechanism for operating the sole-clamping members and the sole-shaping or conforming tool.

The forepart engaging surface of the form It is of sufficient size to accommodate the largest soles which the machine will be called upon to shape and is convexly curved both longitudinally and laterally in order to produce a cupped effect in the forepart of the sole to facilitate the fitting of the sole closely to the shoe bottom. As indicated in Fig. 6, the forepart clamp i8 is concave- 1y curved with reference to the shape of the form l0 and also is provided with a pressing surface coextensive with the forepart of the form In except for a small area contiguous to the ball line which is operated upon by the conforming tool 34 so as to afford a shaping and clamping action which extends substantially completely over the forepart of the sole. This construction of the forepart clamp I8 and the form if] is permitted by causing the gaging mechanism, which in its operative position overlies the pattern, to be completely removed from between the clamp l8 and the form EU as they are moved into clamping relation, as will be described later.

In order to insure against slipping of the sole with respect to the form when the sole is conformed, the sole-engaging surface of its forepart has been bored at a plurality of spaced areas to receive anti-slipping inserts 36 having blunt ends which project slightly from its sole-engaging surface. Similarly, the heel sup-port It is provided with a plurality of inserts 38. The ends of these inserts are rounded so as to merge into the surface from which they extend and may conveniently be made of fibrous material such as wood, for example, the end grain of which is presented to the sole. Since the rubber sheet 22 is interposed between the sole being operated upon and the clamps I8 and 20, the formation of condensed areas in the sole is avoided as the sole at points opposite to the ends of the inserts is pressed to a slight extent into the yielding sheet 22, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Thus, slipping of the fore and heel part portions of the sole is resisted, not only by the friction between the sole and the form ill and heel support M, but also by the wedging eifect produced by the tendency of the sole to be moved across the rounded ends of the inserts 3B, 38. Although the use of the anti-slipping inserts 36, 38 has been illustrated herein with reference to a form adapted for shaping the soles for womens shoes, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to such use alone. For example, the invention comprehends the use of such inserts in a form adapted for shaping soles for mens shoes, which forms may have integral forepart, shank and heel portions lying substantially in the same plane.

The conforming tool 34 is so shaped that its sole-engaging surface is substantially complementary to that of the portions of the forepart it and shank ll of the form with which it is to cooperate to impart the desired transverse curvature to the sole and the desired angular relation between the forepart and the shank, as indicated by the sole illustrated in Fig. 13 for example. The illustrated conforming tool 34 has mounted thereon means for making a demarcation on the sole, such as a groove 35, (the prominence of which is exaggerated in Fig. 13 for purposes of illustration), when the sole is shaped in conformity to the form. This means, as herein illustrated, comprises a Y-shaped wire 31 (Fig. 12) the ends of which are bent and arranged to extend inwardly into the conforming tool 34 in order to hold the wire in the desired position. One branch a of the wire 31 is arranged to extend longitudinally of the conforming tool so as to indent a groove extending substantially along the median line of the shank of the sole. The other branches to and c of the wire 31 which are joined to each other and to the branch (1 are so positioned with respect to the conforming tool 34 as to form a groove extending continuously along the ball line or break in the sole at the location where the shank of the sole begins to incline away from the plane of the forepart. It is apparent that, if desired, any two of the sections of the wire 31 may be used together without the other in order to make a demarcation either between the forepart and the shank or between either of two portions of the shank and the forepart; that is, the wire 3? might consist of only the branches b and c, the effect of which would be to indent a demarcation between the forepart X of the sole and the shank portion. The sections a and b, if used together without the section 0 would produce a demarcation on the sole between the portion Y of the shank and the remainder of the sole. Similarly, if sections a and c of the wire 31 are used without the section b, a demarcation would be made between the portion of the shank Z and the remainder of the sole. Although the invention is illustrated with reference to the use of a wire in connection with the tool 34 for making a Y-shaped demarcation, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends the use of any rigid means for making a demarcation of any desired shape on the sole. It will now be apparent that in finishing the bottom of a shoe the sole of which has been treated in the manner described above, the painting or staining of one characteristic portion of the sole which is to be finished in contrast to another is carried up to the demarcation between the portions of the sole which are thus to be finished in different ways, and, by thus using the demarcation on the sole as a guide, the operator is enabled to perform this operation with great rapidity and accuracy and with insurance that uniformity in appearance of all soles treated in this way will be maintained.

The positioning of a sole on the form I0 is effected by gaging means adapted to engage the edge of the sole at the toe end and at spaced points at one side of the sole. This gaging means comprises a toe gage 50 (Fig. 2) adapted to position the sole longitudinally of the form, a forepart side gage 42 and a heel part side gage 54 arranged to position the sole laterally of the form. The toe gage 45 is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the form ID on an arm 45 (Fig. 5) and is clamped thereon by a screw 48. The arm 46 is fixedly mounted on a member 55 carried by a rod 52 which is movable axially, as will be described below, to effect an adjustment of the gage 40 longitudinally of the form I!) and also for rotation to permit the gage 40 to be swung into and out of juxtaposition to the form It]. The rod 52 is thus mounted in a standard 54 fixedly mounted on the support 28.

The toe gage 40 and the forepart side gage 42 are mounted and arranged to partake of the movement of a slide 56 which is adapted to be moved along a slideway 58 on the support 28 by a transverse square rod 60, Figs. 3 and 7, received within a complemental recess in the slide 55 and carried at the end of one of the levers 30. The slide 55 is held in assembled relation with the slideway 58 by a T-headed bolt 6| the head of which is received in a T-slot in the slideway. A spring 63 surrounding the bolt 5! and abutting the bottom of a recess in the slide 56 yieldingly holds the latter against the slideway 58 to prevent any lost motion between them. Parallelism of all positions of the slide 56 is insured by the rod 50 which prevents turning of the slide 55 about the bolt 5!. The slideway 58 is mounted for angular adjustment with respect to the support 28 about a screw 59 (Fig. 3) and is held in any desired position of adjustment by a clamp controlled by a screw 62. The proper position of the slideway 58, when the machine is used to operate upon a given run of soles of the same style, is such that its tangent is equal to the ratio of the increase in width to the increase in length between soles of successive sizes within that range of soles which are graded uniformly such as soles of the same width size but of different lengths. Accordingly, by one adjustment of the slide 56 along the slideway 58, the toe gage fill and the side gage 42 are moved simultaneously to accommodate any sole of a series having the same nominal width but different lengths. The slide 56 is thus operated when the form I0 and heel support M are moved into their sole-receiving position, the levers 30 during this movement being mounted upon a slide 55 which is moved .f

along an angularly adjustable slideway rod 69 on one of the levers 35.

Components of the movement of the slide 56 extending longitudinally of the sole are trans- 68 bya mitted to the rod 52 on which the toe gage 40 is mounted by a lug 15 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is fixed on the slide 55 and the opposite sides of which are embraced by the arm 45 and the member 50. The toe gage 55 may thus be swung from a position in juxtaposition to the form ill away therefrom into its position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and still be under the control of the lug Ill. The toe gage MI is normally urged toward its dotted line position in Fig. 6 and away from the form Ill by a torsion spring 72 the ends of which abut the lug i0 and the member 55. The toe gage 40 is held in juxtaposition to the form Ill when the latter is in its sole-receiving position by a cam lever M rotatably mounted on the rod 52 and connected thereto by a spring 76 so as yieldingly to hold the toe gage 56 against the form Ill when the cam plate M is swung into engagement with a plate Ts (Figs. 6 and 11) which overhangs the edge of a fixed cover 18 at the front of the machine. parent, with reference to Fig. 6 in which the toe gage M is illustrated as being yieldingly held against the form it, that as soon as the form is moved toward the sole-treating position the cam lever 14, in moving away from the plate ill, will swing under the influence of the spring 72 to permit the toe gage 45 also to swing upwardly away from the form it into its dotted line position, determined by the engagement of the cam lever 14 with a guard 19 attached to the support I 28, thereby obviating any possibility of interference by the toe gage with the relative approach of the clamping member 98 and the form In. Accordingly, as pointed out above, it is possible in the illustrated construction to employ a clamp l8 and form iii, the surfaces of which are coextensive with the iorepart of the sole to be treated and,hence, may cause it to be completely shaped, as by cupping, to make its edges fit closely to the shoe bottom.

The edge gage 42 (Fig. 4) and a sole-supporting finger 80 are mounted to swing relatively to each other for a. purpose to be described hereafter about the axis of a stud 82 fixed in one end of a carrier in the form of an arm 84 which, at its other end, is pivotally mounted by means of a stud 86 on the slide 56. The ends of a torsion spring 88 (Fig. 4) surrounding a screw 95 fixed to the carrier or arm 84 are arranged to abut against shoulders on the slide and arm 84 so as normally to urge the arm 84 toward the slide 56. Movement of the arm 35 relatively to the slide 56 is controlled, for a purpose which will be described later, by a screw 92 threaded in the slide 55 and arranged to abut the arm near the stud 85. The screw 92 has a head 94 which is calibrated and marked with width sizes, as will be described later, which indicate corresponding positions of the arm 84 on which the width gage i2 is mounted. In order to permit the edge gage 42 to engage It will now be apsoles of all sizes at the same point relatively to the ball line, it is adjustably mounted, by means of a screw 96, Figs. 3 and 4, on a plate 98, this plate also being pivotally mounted on the stud 82 and normally being urged by a spring 909 to hold the edge gage 42 in its operative position. This operative position of the gage 42 is determined not only by adjustment of the screw 92 but also by the position of a rod I92 (Fig. 4), one end of which is adapted to abut a lug E64 extending upwardly from the plate 98. The rod H32 is mounted to slide in the arm 84 so as adjustably to limit the swinging of the gage 42 away from the arm, and is adjusted by a control knob N6 the bottom part of which has formed thereon a gear E08 arranged to mesh with a rack l H) carried by the rod 542. The knob I46 is rotatably mounted on a stud l l2 fixed on the arm 84 and is yieldingly urged downwardly by a spring H4 (Fig. 5) into engagement with a plate I 16 mounted on the bottom of the rack lid in order to set up sufficient 'riction to hold the rod 282 in any position of adjustment. A pointer H8 (Fig. 4) fixed to the rack H8 is adapted to indicate the position of the rod 942 with reference to a graduated index l2!) carried by the slide 56.

The sole is .gaged with respect to the pattern it in sole-receiving position, illustrated in Fig. 6, by being placed with the end of its forepart in engagement with the toe gage 40, the side of the forepart engaging the side gage 42 and resting on the sole support 39 and the heel part of the sol-e resting in a notch formed in the end of the heel part side gage 44. When the clamp i8 is moved toward the form til the support 813 is first swung from beneath the sole in a direction having components directed toward the toe gage 44 and side gage 42 so as frictionally to urge the sole into contact with these members. Later the toe gage 44 is swung away from the form as described above and, before the clamp I8 is caused to exert pressure on the sole, the edge gage 42 as well as the sole support 88 will have been swung out of the field of action of the clamp IS. The movement of the sole support 85! relatively to the edge gage 42 and also the movement of'the latter away from the sole is derived from the downward movement of a cam plate i22 (Figs. 1 and 6) associated with the clamp l8 and adapted to engage a lever 524 to cause it to swing about a stud l2fi fixed in the upper end of the standard 54. The lever 424 has an arm 828 the lower edge of which extends substantially parallel to the axis of the slideway 558 and is adapted to engage a pin l3?) which extends upwardly from the sole support til. The sole support 88 is normally urged to that position relatively to the side gage 42 illustrated in Fig. 4 by a spring I32 one end of which abuts the pin I343 and the other end a pin I34 fixed to the plate 98. This position of the sole support Bil is determined by a pin !36 fixed to the plate 98 and adapted to be engaged by a shoulder of a recess 133 (Fig. 8) formed in the member 8%. Until the other shoulder of the recess 13% is moved into engagement with the pin 4%, as illustrated for the heel part side gage 44, the latter is mountwith reference to a system of width grading, as will be described later, and is .mounted eccentrically with respect to its hub on a stud I42 carried by a block H44 which is mounted for adjustment laterally of the sole on the slide 66. Adjustment of the block 444 is effected by a knob H46 rotatably mounted on the slide 64 and having a gear 548 meshing with a rack ltltl carried by the block I44. In order to position the notched portion of the gage 44 so as to hold the heel part of the sole substantially in the plane of the support 54, a tongue r52 extending forwardly from the hub of the gage 44 is normally urged into engagement with a pin i554 fixed to the block I44 by a spring i 54 which is coiled about the hub of the heel part gage 44. The yielding mounting of the side gage 44 allows it to swing downwardly, thereby avoiding any damage which otherwise might be caused it the conforming tool 34 were to carry the portion of the sole supported by the gage 44 below its normal position heightwise of the support l4.

To summarize briefly the operation of the gaging means without considering for the present their adjustment or calibration, upon movement of the tables l2 and lBinto sole-receiving position, illustrated in Fig. 6, the slides 56 and 66 are positioned with respect to their slideways 58 and 68 by the operation of the levers 30 which are controlled by the guides 32 which previously will have been positioned by movement of the control knob 64 to the proper position with reference to the size of the sole to be gaged. A sole to be operated upon is next placed over the form I0 and heel support M with its toe end in engagement with the gage 40, the bottom of its forepart resting upon the sole support 80, the edge of its forepart abutting the side gage 42, and the margin of its heel part resting within the notched end of the heel part gage 44. When the machine is treadled, the tables l2 and I6 are swung, as fully described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,939,750, to the sole-treating position indicated by the dotted showing of the parts in Fig. 6. During this movement the toe gage 40 is swung upwardly away from the form l0 under the influence of the spring '52. Later, as the clamps i8 and 20 are lowered to cause the fore and heel parts of the sole to be gripped, the cam plate I22 operates the lever I24, thereby causing the sole support 89 to move out from underneath the sole, thereby 'frictionally urging the forepart against the side gage 42. The latter part of the movement of the sole support 80 is communicated to the side gage 42 whereby both of these members are simultaneously moved away from the sole completely out of the field of action of the clamp I8, thereby obviating the possibility of damage to the support 8!] and gage 42. The heel part of the sole is then displaced heightwise with respect to the forepart in order to give the shank the desired angular relation with respect to the forepart and the conforming tool 34 is next moved downwardly to shape the shank of the sole and a portion of the forepart contiguous to the shank about the corresponding portions of the form [0. It is to be understood that, while the heel part gage 44 is not moved laterally of the sole to prevent interference with the operation of the conforming tool 34, the pivotal mounting of the gage 44 with respect to the block I44 permits the gage to yield downwardly if it extends into the path of movement of the conforming tool 34. These operations then occur in a reverse order and the conformed sole is carried by the form it] back to its sole-receiving position. As this position is approached, the cam lever 14, which during the treatment of the sole engages the guard E9, is moved into engagement with the plate Tl which causes the toe gage 40 to be swung into juxtaposition to the form l and yieldingly held thereagainst owing. to the provision of the spring 76 which connects the cam lever 54 and the rod 52.

The setting and calibration of the gage mechanism will now be described with reference to the treatment in the illustrated machine of an exemplary series of soles which are graded by different systems. Soles of the same width size but of different length sizes within a certain range commonly are strictly geometrically similar. This range of soles may include all lengths of a certain class, such as mens or womens for example, and of any given width (1. e. 4-B, 5-B, 6-B, etc.) and hence it is possible in the use of the illustrated machine to gage such soles accurately by one movement of the fore and heel part gages 40, 42 and 44 along the slideways 53 and 58, respectively, if the slideways are so angularly adjusted as to cause the movement of the side gages 42 and 44 laterally of the form It), and the movement of the toe gage 40 longitudinally thereof to occur in the same ratio as that of the increase in Width to the increase in length of these geometrically similar soles. Such adjustment of the slideways 58 having been made,

- thepositioning of the gages for a series of soles of the same width but of different lengths may be accomplished merely by moving the knob 64 so that the width graduation on the scale 65 (Fig. 10) corresponding to the width of the sole being operated upon is opposite to the length graduation on the scale 67 corresponding to the length size of the sole being operated upon.

It is to be understood that the above operation of the gages may be carried out after a preliminary setting of not only the slides 58 and 68 but also the scale 61, as will now be explained. To this end, a sole is placed on the form ID in longitudinal and lateral alinement therewith. The gages 4e, 42 and 44 are then moved into engagement with the sole edge with the help of the variousv adjustments referred to above; that is, adjustment of the toe gage 40 may be efiected relatively to the arm 46 and the gage may then be clamped in adjusted position by the screw 48. The side gage 42 may be adjusted laterally of the sole by operating the knob I06. Similarly, the heel part side gage 44 may be adjusted laterally of the sole by movement of the control knob I46. When the above adjustments have been made, the scale El is adjusted on the cover 18 to bring the graduations on the scales 6'! and 65 corresponding to the size and width of the sole to be operated upon into registration. If the above operations are carried out with a reference to a sole, for example, soles of any length but having a 13 width will be gaged properly with regard to the pattern H) by moving the knob 64 to bring the B width graduation on the scale 65 opposite to that length graduation on the scale 6. corresponding to the length size of the sole to be operated upon.

However, soles of the same length size but of different widths are commonly so graded that as the widths are increased the actual lengths also are increased somewhat, but the increase in width in such cases is greater in proportion to the increase in length than in the case of soles of the same width sizes. but of diiferent lengths. Therefore, if, as in the illustrated machine, the positioning of the sole longitudinally of the form once the gages have been set is efiected exclusively by the control knob 64, provision must be made for making an adjustment of the side gages 42 and 44 independently of and in addition to that effected by their movement laterally of the pattern along the inclined slideways 58 and 48 to compensate for the difference in grading between soles of the same lengths but of difierent widths and soles of the same widths but difierent lengths. In the illustrated machine, the scale 65 is so calibrated that by moving the knob 64 to bring any of the width size graduations indicated in Fig. 10 opposite to any length graduation the sole of that size corresponding to the graduations which are in alinement will be properly positioned longitudinally of the pattern It]. However, the extra lateral adjustment of the gages 42 and 44, necessitated for the reasons described above, is made in the forepart gaging means by the calibrated knob 94 and in the heel part gaging means by the calibrated knob E40. If, for example, it is desired to operate on a 6-C sole after a 6-B sole has been operated upon, the knob 64 is moved to the left (Fig. 10) to bring the C width graduation on the scale 55 opposite to the length 6 graduation on the scale El. As mentioned above, this movement causes the 6C sole to be gaged properly longitudinally of the pattern, but the movement of the gages 42 and 44 widthwise of the pattern caused by this movement of the knob 64 is insuflicient properly to position the sole laterally of the pattern since, owing to the above-mentioned peculiarity in Width grading for soles of the same length, their variations in Width are greater in proportion to the length than the similar variations in the width of soles of different lengths, in accordance with which type of soles the angular adjustment of the slideways 58 and 68 is made. Adjustment of the gage 42 laterally of the form it, which compensates for this difference between width and length grading, is made in respect to the forepart gage 42 by turning the control knob 94 to permit the arm 84 to move relatively to the slide 56 toward or away from the longitudinal axis of the pattern, the knob 94 being calibrated and marked with width size graduations any one of which is indexed by turning the knob until that graduation in question is in its uppermost position. Accordingly, in operating the gaging mechanism to locate size 6 soles of widths within the range of A to EEE, for example, the knob 94 is turned to bring the width graduation corresponding to the width of the sole to be operated upon into its uppermost position, and the knob 64 is moved to bring the similar width graduation on the scale 65 opposite to the length graduation 6 on the scale 61. Soles of the same length size but of difierent widths within the range from A through the multiple E widths, commonly have a slight proportional increase in length but usualsoles within this range, the differences in their widths are compensated for entirely by the adjustment of the knob 94, and therefore it is apparent that the knob i l will have to be rotated a greater distance between successive sizes from A to AAAA than was the case when movement of the slide 56 contributed to the adjustment of the gage 42 widthwise of the pattern. This feature of the calibration of the knob 94 is clearly illustrated in Fig. 11 in which the angle between successive graduations within the range from A to EEE is substantially smaller than that between successive graduations within the range extending from A to AAAA.

The knob Hit for controlling lateral adjustment of the heel part gage M is calibrated similarly to the knob 94, due regard being had, of course, to the fact that the gage M is mounted eccentrically on the knob Mt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to the form comprising a gage mounted for ad justment laterally of the form and adapted to position a sole laterally thereof by engagement with the edge of the sole at one side thereof, said gage being movable obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form at an angle determined with reference to the differences in length and width of soles graded by one system, and plural means for adjusting said gage laterally of the form one of which means is calibrated with reference to another system of grading.

2. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to the form comprising a gage mounted for movement in a direction oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form, and plural means operable independently of each other for adjusting said gage laterally of said form, one of said means being calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same length but of difierent widths.

3. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to the form comprising a gage adapted to engage the edge of the sole at one side thereof, a carrier on which said gage is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the form in order to permit said gage to engage the edges of soles of different sizes at the same point with respect to the ball line, means for adjusting said gage with respect to said carrier laterally of the form, and adjusting means operable independently of said last-mentioned means for positioning the carrier laterally of the form, said adjusting means being calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same length but of different widths.

4. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to the form comprising a gage adapted to engage the edge of the sole at one side thereof, a carrier on which said gage is mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the form in order to permit said gage to engage the edges of soles of different sizes at the same point with respect to the ball line, means mounted on said carrier for adjusting said gage laterally of the form with respect to the carrier, said carrier being mounted to swing toward and away from the form, means for yieldingly urging said carrier away from the form, and an adjusting screw calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same length but of different widths for limiting the movement of the carrier away from the form.

5. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole on the form laterally and longitudinally thereof comprising end and side gages adapted to engage the edge of the sole at the toe and one side thereof, a carrier for said side gage, means for adjusting said side gage relatively to the carrier laterally of the form, a slide on which said carrier is mounted, said slide being mounted for movement at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the form the tangent of which is equal to the ratio of the increase in width to the increase in length of soles graded by one system, and means for adjusting said carrier laterally of the form in accordance with another system of grading.

6. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to said form comprising end and side gages adapted to engage the sole at the toe and one side thereof, a carrier for said side gage, a slide on which said carrier is mounted for movement toward and away from said form, yielding means connecting said slide and carrier for urging the latter toward said form, said slide being connected with said end gage and mounted for movement in such a direction extending obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form that soles of the same nominal width but of different lengths are positioned laterally and longitudinally of the form by one movement of said slide, and means calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same nominal length but of different widths for limiting the movement of said carrier with re spect to the slide toward said form.

'7. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to said form comprising end and side gages adapted to engage the edge of the sole at the toe and one side thereof, said side gage being mounted for movement in a direction oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form and to swing laterally'of the form about different axes, means for swinging said side gage about one of said axes to position it laterally of the form, yielding means for causing said side gage to be urged about another of said axes, and means calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same length but of different widths for adjustably limiting the movement of said side gage with respect to the form;

8. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, an end gage and a side gage for positioning a sole longitudinally and laterally of the form respectively, said side gage being connected with said end gage and mounted for movement in a direction oblique with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form, a carrier on which said side gage is mounted for movement laterally of the form, means on said carrier for adjusting the position of said side gage laterally of the form, and means for adjusting the position of said carrier laterally of the form.

9. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, an end gage and a side gage for positioning a sole longitudinally and laterally of the form respectively, said side gage being connected with said end gage and mounted for movement in such a direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the form that soles of the same. nominal width but of different lengths are positioned laterally and longitudinally of the form by one movement of said side gage, and plural means operable independently of each other for positioning said side gage laterally of the form, one of which means is calibrated with reference to the grading of soles of the same nominal length but of different widths.

10. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole on the form laterally and longitudinally thereof comprising gages adapted to engage the edge of the sole at an end and one side thereof, means for supporting said end gage for sliding movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the form, a carrier for the side gage, a slide on which said carrier is pivotally mounted, said slide being mounted for movement obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of said form, means for imparting to said end gage the components of the movement of said slide extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the form, means for positioning said side gage with respect to said carrier laterally of the form, and means for positioning said carrier with respect to said slide laterally of the form.

'11. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, an end gage and a side gage for positioning a sole longitudinally and laterally of the form respectively, said end and side gages being mounted for movement longitudinally of the form in different directions, and means constructed and arranged to utilize the components of movement of said side gage extending in the direction of movement of said end gage to position said end gage.

12.In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole longitudinally and laterally of the form comprising gages adapted for engagement with the edge of the sole at the toe end and at one side thereof, said gages being mounted for movement in different directions longitudinally of the form, means for adjusting said side gage, and connections between said side and end gages constructed and arranged to prevent displacement relatively to each other longitudinally of the form but to permit their relative displacement laterally of the form whereby only those components of movement of the side gage extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the form are utilized to position said end gage.

13. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for positioning a sole with respect to said form comprising end and side gages adapted for engagement with the edge of the sole at an end and at one side thereof, said end gage being mounted for movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the form, said side gage being mounted for movement obliquely with re spect to the longitudinal axis of the form, and connections between said gages for utilizing the components of the movement of the side gage longitudinally of the form to position said end gage.

14. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, end and side gages adapted for engagement with the edge of the sole at the toe and one side thereof respectively thereby to position the sole longitudinally and laterally of the form, said end and side gages being mounted for movement in difierent directions longitudinally of the form, means for adjusting said side gage to position it laterally of the form, and connections between said gages comprising members arranged to slide relatively to each other laterally of the form whereby only the components of movement of said side gage longitudinally of the form are utilized to position said end gage.

15. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means. comprising a clamp and a form, said form being mounted for movement from beneath the clamp to a sole-receiving position, means for positioning a sole with respect to said form comprising a gage adapted to engage the edge of the sole at the toe end thereof and mounted normally to swing away from said form, and means operated by movement of said form toward its sole-receiving position for moving said toe gage into juxtaposition to said form.

16. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means comprising a clamp and a form mounted and arranged to swing from beneath said clamp to a sole-receiving position, means mounted for movement with said form for positioning a sole with respect thereto comprising a gage adapted to engage the edge of the sole, said gage being mounted for movement into and out of juxtaposition to said form, means for urging said gage away from said form, and means operated by movement of said form toward its solereceiving position for moving said toe gage into juxtaposition to said form.

17. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means comprising a clamp and a form mounted to swing from beneath said clamp to a sole-receiving position, a gage for positioning a sole on said form mounted normally to swing away therefrom, and means constructed and arranged to move with said form toward its solereceiving position for yieldingly holding said gage in engagement with said form when it is in its sole-receiving position.

18. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means comprising a form, a clamp mounted for movement toward and away from said form, said form being movable from beneath the clamp to a sole-receiving position, means for positioning a sole with respect to said form comprising a gage mounted normally to swing away from said form, and means operated by movement of said form toward its sole-receiving position to move said gage outside of the path of said clamp into juxtaposition to said form.

19. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means comprising a clamp and a form mounted for movement from beneath the clamp into sole-receiving position, a gage associated with said form adapted to position a sole thereon by engagement with the sole edge, means for operating said gage toward and away from the form comprising an abutment, a lever associated with said form mounted for movement therewith into engagement with said abutment, and connections between said lever and gage for moving the gage into and out of juxtaposition to said form as the latter is moved into and out of its. sole-receiving position respectively.

20. In a machine for operating upon soles, sole-shaping means comprising a. clamp and a form mounted for movement from beneath the clamp into sole-receiving position, a gage for positioning a sole with respect to said form and mounted for movement therewith, an abutment, means for operating said gage comprising a lever adapted to be moved into engagement with said abutment when said form is moved toward its sole-receiving position, and yielding connections between said lever and gage constructed and arranged to cause said gage to be yieldingly held against said form when it is in its sole-receiving position.

21. In a machine for operating upon soles, means for shaping a sole comprising a form, a

clamp mounted for movement toward and away from said form, said form being movable from beneath the clamp to a sole-receiving position, means for positioning a sole relatively to the form comprising gages adapted for engagement with the edge of the sole at the toe and one side thereof, means operated by movement of said form toward its sole-receiving position to move said toe gage into juxtaposition to the form, said means being constructed and arranged to move the toe gage away from the form when the latter is moved away from the sole-receiving position, and means operated by said clamp in moving toward said form to move said side gage out of engagement with the sole.

22. In a machine for operating upon soles, cooperating pressing members mounted for movement toward each other to clamp and shape a sole disposed therebetween, and a yielding member arranged to impart the pressure of one of said pressing members to the sole, the sole-engaging surface of the other of said pressing members having a plurality of separated elevated areas thereby to cause portions of the sole opposite to said elevated areas to be pressed into said yielding member in response to pressure between said pressing means.

23. In a machine for operating upon soles, sole-shaping means comprising a form having a plurality of blunt projections extending from its sole-engaging surface, and means mounted for movement toward said form for pressing a sole into conformity to the form, said means including a resilient sheet adapted and arranged to engage the sole and to yield at areas opposite to said projections.

24. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form provided with anti-slipping inserts the exposed surfaces of which extend beyond the soleengaging surface of said form, and means for pressing a sole into conformity to the shape of said form, said means having a yielding sole-engaging surface.

25. In a machine for operating upon soles, a

form having a plurality of blunt projections extending from its sole-engaging surface, and means mounted for movement toward said form to press a sole into conformity to the shape of said form, said means comprising a plurality of pressing members and a yielding cover between the sole and said members.

26. In a machine for operating upon soles, soleshaping means comprising a form and means mounted and arranged yieldingly to press a sole into conformity to the shape of said form, said form having wooden inserts mounted therein so as to present the end grain to the sole.

27. In a machine for operating upon soles, plural means for gripping the fore and heel parts of a sole, each of said means comprising a sole support and a clamping member, yielding means for imparting the pressure of said clamping members to a sole on said supports, and means for operating upon the shank portion of the sole, the sole engaging surfaces of said supports having a plurality of separated elevated areas shaped and arranged to press portions of the sole opposite thereto into said yielding means.

28. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form arranged to support the forepart of a sole, a support for the heel part of the sole, clamps cooperating with said form and support to grip the fore and heel parts of the sole, means cooperating with said form to shape the portion of the sole between said clamps, said form and support having a plurality of blunt projections extending from their sole-engaging surfaces.

29. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, a pressing member having a work-engaging surface shaped and arranged to extend continuously over contiguous portions of the forepart and shank portions of a sole on the form, and means mounted on said member for making an indented demarcation on said sole between a characteristic portion of the shank and the remainder of the sole.

30. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form having contiguous forepart and shank portions having the angular relation that the corresponding portions of a sole are to have in ashoe, means for pressing a sole on said form into conformity to the shape thereof, and a member extending from the sole-engaging surface of said pressing means constructed and arranged to make an indented demarcation in the surface of the sole between a characteristic portion of the shank and the remainder of the sole.

31. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, and a pressing member having a continuous work-engaging surface shaped and arranged to impart to contiguous portions of the forepart and shank of a sole on said form the angular relation they are to have in a finished shoe, said pressing member having means for making a demarcation on the sole between the forepart and shank of the sole.

32. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, and a pressing member cooperating with said form to impart to contiguous portions of the forepart and shank of a sole adjacent to the ball line the angular relation they are to have in a finished shoe, said member being ridged thereby to indent the sole at the ball line.

33. In a machine for operating upon shoes, a form having contiguous forepart and shank portions disposed at an angle to each other, and a member for pressing a sole against said form into conformity to the shape thereof, said member having a ridge arranged to form a groove in the sole defining a boundary between the shank or a portion thereof and the forepart.

34. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, meansadapted for engagement with the edge of a sol-e on said form for positioning the sole longitudinally and laterally of the form, a pressing member cooperating with said form to press the sole into conformity with the shape thereof, and means carried by said pressing member constructed and arranged to make a demarcation on the sole between characteristic portions thereof.

35. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form, means for gaging a sole on said form laterally and longitudinally thereof, and a pressing member cooperating with said form to press a sole therebetween into conformity to the shape of the form, said pressing member having a ridge extending from the sole-engaging surface arranged to form an indented demarcation in the sole between characteristic portions thereof.

ALBERT L. PORTER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION, Patent No, 2,128,518. August 50, 1958,

ALBERT L. PORTER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page L firstcolumn, line 6, for the word "rigid read ridged; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of December, An DR: 1958,

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

